European Global Ocean Observing System (EuroGOOS)

(Estabished 1994)

Status

EuroGOOS is an Association of Agencies, founded in 1994.

Mission

To further the goals of GOOS, and in particular the development of Operational Oceanography in the European Sea areas and adjacent oceans.

Activities

EuroGOOS is established with full recognition of the importance of existing systems in research and operational oceanography in Europe at national and European scales. EuroGOOS at present has 30 Members and Associate Members in 16 European countries.

The Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) is an international programme preparing the permanent global framework of observations, modelling and analysis of ocean variables needed to support operational ocean services wherever they are undertaken around the world. GOOS is promoted by the following UN Agencies:

• Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC)
• World Meteorological Organisation (WMO)
• United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
• International Council of Scientific Unions (ICSU)

The Joint Scientific and Technical Committee responsible for designing GOOS is sponsored by those UN Agencies and GOOS was launched at the Second World Climate Conference in 1990. It will provide the ocean component of the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS).

Members of EuroGOOS co-operate to establish a concerted European approach to the following:

• Identifying European priorities for operational oceanography.
• Promoting the development of the scientific, technology and computer systems for operational oceanography, and its implementation.
• Assessing the economic and social benefits from operational oceanography.
• Contributing to international planning and implementation of GOOS and promoting it at national, European and global level.

EuroGOOS activities are designed to collaborate with and maximise the benefits from existing activities in operational oceanography, promoting the integration of these activities within the framework of GOOS. Members of EuroGOOS collaborate and support the following groups of activities:

• Advancing European operational oceanography in GOOS.
• Promoting development of European regional and local operational oceanography, taking into account the Modules of GOOS for the Coastal Zone, Health of the Ocean, Living Marine Resources, Climate, and Ocean Services.
• Promoting development of common European operational data procedures and services, including data quality control and data management for operational oceanography.
• Promoting research and pre-operational research which will solve problems relating to operational oceanography.
• Promoting development of common infrastructure and to promote major systems or capital installations required to support European operational oceanography.
• Promoting pilot studies in GOOS operations, local, regional, or global.
• Promoting development of common European operational oceanographic services and products of maximum value to European Governments and Agencies, furtherance of European industries and service companies, and the protection of the environment and health in the European coastal and shelf seas.

United Kingdom Interests

Interested Departments and Organisations

Environment Agency
National Centre for Instrumentation and Marine Surveillance
Rivers House, Lower Bristol Road
Bath, Avon BA2 9ES, UK
Tel: +44 1278 457333 Ext. 4237
Fax: +44 1225 469939
Contact: David Palmer

Meteorological Office
Ocean Applications
Room 245, London Road, Bracknell
Berkshire RG12 2SZ, UK
Tel: +44 1344 856209
Fax: +44 1344 854499
Contact: Howard Cattle

Natural Environment Research Council
Southampton Oceanography Centre (SOC)
Room 496/02, European Way
Southampton SO14 3ZH
Tel: +1703-596365
Fax: +1703-595107
Contact: Howard Roe

Briefing and Reporting Mechanisms

EuroGOOS provides information regularly to the IOC-WMO-UNEP Committee for GOOS (I-GOOS), and to the Joint Scientific and Technical Committee for GOOS (J-GOOS).